Decorative magnetic bulletin board



July 22, 1969 J w. EPTON 3,455,373

DECORATIVE MAGNETIC BULLETIN BOARD mea July 24. 1967 INVENTOR JEROME W ,EP-rom United States Patent Office 3,456,373 Patented July 22, 1969 3,456,373 DECORATIVE MAGNETIC BULLETIN BOARD Jerome W. Epton, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Eptex Mfg. Corp., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 24, 1967, Ser. No. 655,548 Int. Cl. G09f l /10 U.S. Cl. 40-124 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bulletin board comprising a light-Weight magnetic construction including a decorative `mounting plate adhesively covering a relatively thin metallic sheet which in turn is mounted on a cardboard backing element overlying a Styrofoam body carried by a stiff base member, with plastic edge facings frictionally mounted about the board for protecting and maintaining the component elements of the board in facial abutment with respect to each other.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specially described and claimed. Such novel construction and arrangement of parts will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved bulletin board;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing certain parts in an exploded relationship;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, it is clearly shown that the improved bulletin board may take any form or configuration desired. In the present instance, I have shown a rectangularly shaped board which includes a mounting plate 11 having a decorative exposed surface which is preferably formed of a Washable vinyl material.

Referring to FIG. 3, it is disclosed that the mounting plate 11 is adhesively attached to one surface of a relatively thin metallic sheet 12 which is magnetically attractable as well as of a minute thickness to permit the forcible penetration therethrough of a thumb tack or the like, while at the same time adding rigidity to the board.

The metallic sheet 12 is mounted on a cardboard backing 13 Which overlies a Styrofoam body portion 14. The Styrofoam body portion is in turn carried by a stiff base member 15. As seen in FIG. 3, the Styrofoam body 14 comprises a slightly greater thickness than the total thickness of the remaining components.

Plastic edging elements 16 are formed so as to provide a channel 17 which frictionally receives the peripheral edge portions 18 of the composite board as heretofore described. The plastic edging elements 16 have their confronting ends mitered as at 19 so as to present a finished attractive appearance, as seen in FIG. 1.

As seen in FIG, 1, an information-bearing sheet or card 20 may be removably attached to the bulletin board by a permanent magnet 21 in cooperation with the magnetically attractable metallic sheet 12. Such sheet or card may also be removably attached to the board by a conventional thumb tack 22. The penetration `of the pointed shank of the tack 22 will readily pass through the mounting plate 11, the thin metallic sheet 12, the cardboard backing element 13, and be disposed Within the Styrofoam body 14 without affecting the magnetic attraction of the metallic sheet 12.

The foregoing construction provides an extremely lightweight versatile bulletin board which receives either a magnetic type holding means or a thumb tack attaching member, with the exposed mounting plate having a decorative appearance so that the board may be color-coordinated to the room in which it is placed, and at the same time presenting a durable washable surface.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification Without departing from the spirit of the invetnion. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims` Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a light-weight bulletin board construction comprising:

(a) a preformed body of Styrofoam sandwiched between a semi-rigid base member and a backing element preferably formed of cardboard,

(b) a thin metallic sheet of a size less than that of said body mounted on the exposed face of said backing element,

(c) a decorative cover connected to said sheet and said backing element and of a size equal to that of said body to encase said metallic sheet between said cover and said backing element, and

(d) edge facings frictionally mounted on the peripheral edge of the composite board for protecting and maintaining said body in its desired form,

(e) said thin metallic sheet being magnetically attractable and perforated so as to receive and retain mounting magnets and tacks impinged thereon, with the magnetic flux as well as the impinging portion of the tack passable through said cover without affecting the appearance thereof.

2. A light-weight bulletin -board as defined by claim 1 wherein said decocative cover is preferably made of a durable vinyl material and said thin metallic sheet is magnetically attractable and perforated so as to receive and retain mounting magnets and tacks impinged thereon, with the magnetic flux as Well as the impinging portion of the tack passable through said cover without affecting the appearance thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,844,291 7/ 1958 McPheeters. 3,060,606 10/1962 Peach 40-154 3,298,124 1/1967 Jahn 40-156 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner Us. C1. xn. 

